The Texas A&M Aggies will open their 2026 soccer season on Wednesday at 6 p.m., hosting the Rice Owls at Holloway Field in Houston, and the match will be streamed live on ESPN+.
This appearance marks the coaching debut of Bobby Shuttleworth, who was hired in December 2025 as the program’s second head coach after a distinguished stint as an assistant that helped secure two national championships.
The Aggies enter the campaign with a storied record of 30 wins in 33 seasons and have recently earned individual recognition for Bella Carapazza, who made the IWSOC/United Soccer Coaches Preseason MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List, and Ireland Churchill, selected to the Top Drawer Soccer Preseason Freshman Best XI.
Among the returning attackers, Trinity Buchanan and Leah Diaz will look to build on last year’s production, having combined for five goals and two assists and three goals with four assists respectively, while midfielders MaKhiya McDonald and Kate Colvin opened the scoring in the recent encounter, followed by second‑half goals from Jazmine Wilkinson and Maile Hayes.
In goal, Kenna Caldwell made three saves to preserve a shutout, continuing a pattern of strong defensive starts that have seen the Aggies go 24‑7‑2 in their first match of the year since 1993.
Historically, Texas A&M holds a 7‑1‑0 advantage over Rice, highlighted by a 4‑0 win in their most recent meeting in 2023, and the team has performed well in season openers, posting a 17‑5‑2 record over the past 24 such games, though they have occasionally fallen to preseason No. 1 opponents like North Carolina and Florida State.
A New Era Begins
The broadcast team of Matt Pedersen and Eddie Robinson will guide viewers through the action, offering expert analysis as the Aggies aim to extend their winning streak and start the season on a high note.